Your Guide to Eloping in the Florida Keys

If your dream wedding day looks like a gorgeous sunny day with palm trees swaying in a warm tropical breeze and bright blue waves crashing onto a beautiful white sand beach — look no farther than the Florida Keys.

The Florida Keys are perfect for a small and intimate Key West destination wedding, ensuring that your day will take place in a tropical paradise. This beautiful chain of islands is just 15 miles south of Miami and only 90 miles from Cuba! Because the Florida Keys are so close to the Caribbean, the weather is spectacularly warm throughout the year.

Guide to Eloping in the Florida Keys

1. Getting There
2. Where to Elope
3. Where to Celebrate
4. Where to Stay
5. Getting Around
6. Weather

Our amazing Florida Keys team and most of our elopement venues are located in Key West, a four-mile-long and two-mile-wide island. It’s the southernmost city in the contiguous U.S. and the westernmost island connected by a highway in the Florida Keys. So, if you’re considering a small and intimate Key West destination wedding, you’ve undoubtedly come to the right place!

Getting There

By Air — Key West has an airport with daily flights to and from the island. Delta, American Airlines, United, and Silver Airways have direct flights to Key West. The most common connecting airports are Miami (MIA), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Tampa (TPA), Orlando (MCO), and Atlanta (ATL). Because the airport is rather small, you can expect to fly in on a small plane most often known as a “puddle jumper”.

By Car— if you drive to Key West, you’ll take one of the most scenic routes in the nation. A series of bridges connect the Florida Keys with U.S. Highway 1 spanning the route. Key West is at mile marker 0, so you will literally be where the highway ends!

From the mainland, take the Florida Turnpike to U.S. Highway 1. Once on the highway, just sit back and enjoy the incredible scenery.

By Ferry— there is only one ferry service available to Key West, Key West Express. The ferry originates from Ft. Myers Beach and takes about 3.5 hours one way. The ferry operates 7 days a week and tickets range in price depending on the day. Traveling Monday-Thursday is cheaper than Friday-Sunday, and round trip tickets purchased in advance offer a slight discount if purchased 8 days or more in advance of travel.

Where to Elope

From tropical beaches to botanical gardens, we have a range of beautiful locations for your Key West elopement. You can view all our Florida Keys locations here.

Where to Celebrate

Blue Heaven is one of the most well-known eateries on the island. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily and is regularly busy, so calling ahead is recommended especially if you have guests. The restaurant has a vintage, homey feel meshed with an island vibe that makes you feel as though you could stay for hours. Pro tip: their breakfast menu is out of this world!

Firefly Key West is known for “modern chef-driven cuisine” that specializes in Southern cuisine. They serve brunch from 10am to 3pm and supper from 6pm to 10pm and do take reservations. They will also accommodate large parties and events, making this a good option for couples bringing guests to their elopement.

Nine One Five is located in a big, old house on the famed Duval Street. A restaurant that serves up contemporary American cuisine with global flare, they also operate a late-night wine bar. They do take reservations and will accommodate private events.

Mangrove Mama has been feeding locals and visitors in Key West for more than 30 years! They offer fresh, local seafood, amazing drinks, and award-winning desserts, making it a superb place to celebrate your marriage! They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner and have seating both inside and outside.

Where to Stay 

The Mermaid & The Alligator Inn is a darling bed & breakfast is in an old Victorian home with big bay windows, spacious verandas, and beautiful landscaping. The inn has nine guest rooms and they serve complimentary breakfast every morning. It’s located in the Historic District of Old Town Key West, which is a perfect location for couples that want to explore by foot. They also offer complimentary parking, which is excellent news for those that decide to drive to the island. The best part? They have a pool!

The Gardens Hotel is a beautiful upscale resort is centrally located and has options to meet an array of needs. The hotel has rooms, cottages, and an extravagant master suite, and they will do room blocks for 10 guests or more. The Gardens Hotel offers complimentary breakfast, a beautiful on-site pool with a bar, bike rentals, massages, laundry service, and pet-friendly amenities. It’s a wonderful option if you are looking for resort-style lodging while in Key West.

Courtney’s Place B&B is located on a quiet street just blocks from the famous Duval Street, Courtney’s Place is charming, cozy, and just what you would hope for in a B&B. They offer private rooms, suites, studios, and cottages. They have an on-site pool, offer complimentary breakfast and have great room rates.

Getting Around 

Key West is pretty small, so you likely won’t need to worry about driving. The town is full of bicycles, scooters, mopeds, pedi-taxis, taxis, buses, trolleys and shuttles. We highly recommend renting bikes, if that is your style. Key West is also very walkable, so don’t hesitate to explore on your own two feet!

Weather

The average temperatures in Key West range from low 70s to low 90s, with the warmest weather in July and August and cooler months in January and February. June through November can be humid and rainy, which is normal in subtropical climates.

No matter when you choose to elope or which venue you decide to have your small and intimate Key West destination wedding, your big day will likely have crystal-blue waters, palm trees galore, and a picturesque sunset. All you need to bring with you is the one you love.